Judges Rogers, Blatt and Williams, Jr., sitting as a panel of three. Opinion by Judge Williams, Jr. President Judge Bowman did not participate in the decision in this case.

Author: Williams

[ 51 Pa. Commw. Page 2]

Montgomery County Child Welfare Services has filed a petition for review, which essentially seeks to have this Court determine the record-keeping duties of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare in child abuse cases, under the Child Protective Services Law of 1975. Act of November 26, 1975, P.L. 438, No. 124, 11 P.S. § 2201 et seq. Specifically, the petitioner seeks review of a decision of the Department of Public Welfare to expunge the report and records of a 1977 case of alleged child abuse involving a Mrs. Sarah Hull and her 11 year old son. Sarah Hull, who is the only named respondent in this appeal, has filed a motion to quash the petition for review.

The legal springboard of this matter is Section 14(a) of the Child Protective Services Law, which imposes

[ 51 Pa. Commw. Page 3]

upon the Department of Public Welfare certain record-keeping duties in child abuse cases. 11 P.S. § 2214(a). Under that Section the Department must keep a file of certain reports of alleged child abuse, including those cases in which a child protective service, such as the petitioner, has determined that there is substantial evidence of abuse. The information to be kept on file includes the names of the involved parent and child, their home address, the nature of the suspected abuse, and the progress of any legal proceedings.

However, under Section 15(d) of the Law, a parent who is the subject of a report may request the Department of Public Welfare to expunge the information contained in its files. 11 P.S. § 2215(d). Pursuant to that Section, Mrs. Sarah Hull requested the Department of Public Welfare to expunge from its files and records the report arising from the 1977 incident with her son.

On April 12, 1978 the Department held a hearing on her request, which hearing was attended also by the instant petitioner and a guardian ad litem appointed to represent the interest of Mrs. Hull's son. On October 13, 1978 the Department of Public Welfare formally ordered the records expunged, based on the hearing examiner's conclusion that there was insufficient evidence that the Hull child had suffered any serious physical injury from his mother, Sarah Hull. The instant petitioner, Montgomery County Child Welfare Services, would have this Court reverse the Department of Public Welfare's expungement order, and compel the Department to preserve and maintain in its files and records the report issued in the Hull suspected child abuse matter.

This Court has a limited scope of review in appeals from adjudications of the Department of Public Welfare. We are ...

Our website includes the first part of the main text of the court's opinion.
To read the entire case, you must purchase the decision for download. With purchase,
you also receive any available docket numbers, case citations or footnotes, dissents
and concurrences that accompany the decision.
Docket numbers and/or citations allow you to research a case further or to use a case in a
legal proceeding. Footnotes (if any) include details of the court's decision. If the document contains a simple affirmation or denial without discussion,
there may not be additional text.

Buy This Entire Record For
$7.95

Download the entire decision to receive the complete text, official citation,
docket number, dissents and concurrences, and footnotes for this case.